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Efficacy and safety of a home‐made non‐valved spacer for bronchodilator therapy in acute asthma
Author(s) -
Duarte M,
Camargos P
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2002.tb02876.x
Subject(s) - medicine , salbutamol , bronchodilator , asthma , nebulizer , anesthesia , respiratory rate , plastic bottle , heart rate , bottle , blood pressure , mechanical engineering , engineering
The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of an alternative spacer to deliver salbutamol in acute asthma. A prospective randomized study was performed with 196 patients with acute asthma, aged 4–15 y. The clinical features, oxygen saturation ( S aO 2 ) and the best of three peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measurements were recorded in a standardized questionnaire. Each patient received up to three conventional doses of salbutamol through an alternative homemade non‐valved spacer (NVS) (500 ml mineral water plastic bottle) or an oxygen‐driven nebulizer (ODN). The clinical and functional respiratory parameters (PEFR and S aO 2 ) were assessed 15 min after each administration of the bronchodilator. In the ODN ( n = 99) and NVS ( n = 97) groups, PEFR ( p < 0.05) and S aO 2 ( p < 0.05) measurements improved in all stages of the treatment. During the asthma attacks, the ODN group needed a prolonged observation in the emergency room ( p = 0.). Side effects of salbutamol, e.g. increased heart rate, were observed in 17.2% of the patients in the ODN group and 4.1% in the NVS group ( p = 0.003). Conclusion : Both devices showed comparable efficacy in mild and moderate acute attacks, but the use of the alternative NVS resulted in a shorter observation period in the emergency room. The frequency of side effects was significantly higher in the ODN group than in the NVS group.